United Nations – France’s election to the Human Rights Council (November 12, 2013)

Following yesterday’s vote in New York, France was elected to serve on the Human Rights Council for a term of three years, from January 1, 2014. It already served a term on the HRC from 2006 to 2011. France was elected directly, with 174 votes, by secret ballot by the majority of the member states of the UN General Assembly.

As part of its mandate, France is committed to ensuring the promotion and protection of all human rights. It will work with its partners to ensure that the HRC provides a strong response to human rights violations, as is currently the case in Syria, and to ensure that it provides assistance to the states that are experiencing a crisis situation or are in transition, including in particular Mali and the Central African Republic.

France will continue in particular to work toward the universal abolition of the death penalty and to combat enforced disappearances throughout the world. It is also committed to playing a key role in the fight against all forms of discrimination, particularly against women and LGBTI persons.

As part of this commitment, Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs, will today receive Navanethem Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.